AFM News: Howard Pumps Rush, Weinsteins Chase Song for Marion, Europa Shoots in New York

One of the signs of changing times is seeing an A-list director like Ron Howard pushing a project at the American Film Market. The co-head of Imagine Entertainment went to Santa Monica to push Rush, his Formula 1 racing film, with foreign buyers.

Nigel Sinclair and Guy East’s Exclusive Media Group (The Way Back) is co-producing and co-financing the picture with Brian Oliver’s Cross Creek Pictures, Imagine, Revolution Films and Working Title, which produced Formula 1 fan Eric Fellner’s racing doc Senna, which shows how cinematic this kind of movie can be. The film’s screenwriter Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon) is also a producer on Rush, along with Andrew Eaton. Universal Pictures will release the film, which is currently filming with stars Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Daniel Bruhl (Inglourious Basterds), stateside in 2012.

-In other AFM news, Sierra/Affinity has sold Sebastian Cordero’s contemporary space adventure Europa in more than twelve key territories including France, Australia/NewZealand, Indonesia, India and Germany. The film started shooting on November 7 at the new Cine Magic studio in New York. It stars Sharlto Copley (District 9), Michael Nyqvist (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Daniel Wu (Blood Brothers) and Anamaria Marinca (4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days). Produced by Misher Films and Wayfare Entertainment from Philip Gelatt’s script, the film is about a group of handpicked astronauts from around the world who make the long journey to Jupiter’s frigid moon Europa in search of extraterrestrial life.

-The Weinstein Co. is chasing U.S. rights for the London-set comedy drama Song for Marion, starring Gemma Arterton and Vanessa Redgrave.

 Directed by Paul Andrew Williams (London to Brighton, Cherry Tree Lane), the film also stars Christopher Eccleston and Terence Stamp as a cranky old geezer whose wife Marion persuades him to join a choir. 

Ken Marshall and Williams’ Steel Mill Pictures is producing along with Coolmore Productions, Egoli Tossell Film and Film House Germany.

-Preferred Content managing partner Kevin Iwashina has promoted a key executive, Christine D’Souza, to vice president, content sales and project financing.